Every year, many dogs end up in emergency hospitals, shelters and, unfortunately, sometimes dead in the road because of the terror they feel from hearing the loud noises of the Fourth of July holiday. They panic and run to try and get away.

People fire off rockets and personal fireworks. Then, at night, the fireworks come on and it truly sounds like a war zone. Even dogs that live within earshot of the SeaWorld fireworks that go off every night react to the holiday fireworks, which are much louder.

Please consider keeping your dog safely indoors during this special holiday. A terrified dog can get over a six-foot fence and get out. I live in Ocean Beach, and every year I see so many people walking down to see the fireworks with their dogs in tow and I shudder. And every year, a couple of days after the weekend, the signs start to go up on the bulletin board at the beach regarding a “Dog lost on the Fourth of July.”